Multi-button control headset for a mobile communication device

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed at a headset for a mobile communication device having a multi-button control and is implemented with a standard headset jack. The multi-button control is decoded by a microprocessor after which an encoded signal is then transmitted from the processor to the handset. In this manner, by using the standard jack, no additional hardware is required on the handset.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/173010, filed Jun. 30, 2011; which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No.7,983,722, issued Jul. 19, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to headsets for a mobilecommunication device. More particularly, the present invention relatesto a headset for a mobile communication device having a multi-buttoncontrol and a standard headset jack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When mobile communication devices were first developed, their mainfunctionality was to provide a way for individuals to communicate withother individuals without the need for a landline. As the mobilecommunication device technology improved, further functionalities suchas email, a contact database or a calendar were added. In the latestwave of mobile communication devices, new functionality such as an MP3player and cameras have been added resulting in a multi-purpose mobilecommunication device.

In order for users to listen to an MP3 player, a headset is typicallyrequired which preferably includes a remote control so that the user isable to control the MP3 player within the mobile communication device.However, these headsets are typically individualized for each mobilecommunication device. Existing headsets include non-standard headsetjacks which are then plugged into a corresponding slot within the uniquemobile communication device. Therefore users are required to buy aspecific headset which is dependent on the mobile communication devicethey are using.

Currently, headsets with standard jacks which are used with mobilecommunication devices have only a single button which is used to mute acall or to initiate voice activated dialing. Typically a single press,or a long press, can activate different functions. However, these singlebutton controls can only provide two different control signals.

Alternatively, some headsets with multiple button controls areimplemented with non-standard jacks and thusly, the mobile communicationdevices are required to be updated in order to be able to receive thenon-standard jack. Therefore, additional hardware is required in eachmobile communication device in order to receive the non-standard jack.Additional conductors are also required in each of the headsets.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a novel headset for a mobilecommunication device having a multi-button control using a standardheadset jack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile communication device andheadset;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of circuitry for a headset;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of circuitry for a headset in accordancewith an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of coding schemes for use with the headset;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of circuitry for a headset in accordancewith another embodiment; and

FIG. 6 is a flowchart outlining a method of headset use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, the present embodiment provides a method and system for aheadset for a mobile communication device. The headset includes amulti-button control and uses a standard jack for connecting to themobile communication device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed at a headset for a mobile communication devicehaving a multi-button control and is implemented with a standard headsetjack. The multi-buttons control is decoded by a microprocessor afterwhich an encoded signal is then transmitted, via the microphone linefrom the processor to the handset. In this manner, by using the standardjack, no additional hardware is required in the handset. Only softwareto decode the signal on the microphone input is required on the handset.

In one embodiment, there is provided, a headset, including a standardheadset jack, having a multi-button control for activating commands on amobile communication device, the multi-button control comprising aplurality of buttons, each representing at least one of the commands;and a controller, connected to each of the set of buttons; wherein whenthe controller detects the depression of one of the buttons, thecontroller determines which button was pressed and transmits a controlsignal to the mobile communication device corresponding to the button.

In a further embodiment, there is provided a headset for a mobilecommunication device comprising a set of speakers for transmitting soundfrom the mobile communication device to a user; a multi-button controlfor controlling sound from the mobile communication device; and astandard jack for connecting the headset to the mobile communicationdevice and for transmitting signals from the multi-button control to themobile communication device to provide sound to the speakers.

Turning to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of a mobile communication device,or handset, 10 having a headset 12 thereby connected is provided. Theheadset 12 further comprises a multiple button controller 14 having aplurality of buttons 16. The number of buttons is theoreticallylimitless however, the number is dictated by the size of the controller14. The headset 12 further includes at least one ear bud 18 each housinga speaker (as shown in FIG. 2). The headset 12 is connected to themobile communication device 10 via standard jack. A microphone 15 isalso included in the headset 12.

Turning to FIG. 2, circuitry 20, typically mounted to a printed circuitboard assembly 21, for a standard headset 12 is shown. The headset 12includes a standard jack, or plug, 22 for connecting the headset to thehandset. The plug 22 comprises a microphone portion 24, a left speakerportion 26, a right speaker portion 28 and a ground portion 30. The jack22 is connected to the circuitry 20 via a plurality of wires 32.

In the current embodiment, the circuitry 20 comprises a set ofconnectors 34 for receiving the wires 32 from their correspondinglocations within the jack 22. The microphone connector 34 a is connectedto a first capacitor 36 and an inductor 38. An output of the inductor 38is connected to plurality of elements connected in parallel. Theplurality of elements includes a switch 40, a zener diode 42, a secondcapacitor 44, a microphone 46 and a third capacitor 48. A secondinductor 50 is located between the ground connector 34 b and the outputof the parallel elements. The output from the second inductor 50 isconnected to ground along with one side of a pair of speakers 52. Theleft speaker portion connector 34 c and the right speaker portionconnector 34 d are also connected to their respective, left and rightspeakers 52. As will be understood, the speakers are typically locatedwithin the ear buds 18 of the headset 12 which are then inserted into auser's ears so that they may listen of the output from the mobilecommunication device.

In operation, the zener diode 42 is used to control the electrostaticdischarge (ESD) which may be experienced within the headset 12. Theinductor 38 and the first capacitor 36 provide a wide band filter forthe various General Packet radio Services (GPRS) bands. This filterreduces and/or prevents the headset from picking up and transmitting GSMpulses via the microphone line. This is also known as GSM buzz. Finally,the switch 40 shorts out the microphone bias current which is detectedby the handset as a signal.

Turning to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a headset 12having a multi-button control 60 in accordance with one embodiment isshown. In each of the embodiments, the headset 12 is implemented withthe standard headset jack 22 for connection with the mobilecommunication device 10. In this embodiment, the circuitry 62 forimplementing the multi-button control 60 is shown connected to thestandard headset circuitry 20 of FIG. 2 with one substitution. Theswitch 40 is replaced with a Field-Effect Transistor (FET) 64. Theimplementation of the multi-button control using a standard headset andstandard jack provides the benefit that mobile communication devices donot have to be altered in order to operate with the headset. In thismanner, since the mobile communication device does not have to beupdated to include extra hardware to receive the headset jack, themobile communication device may be able to receive the headset disclosedherein or existing headsets with standard jacks and one control button.

Therefore, in order for the handset to recognize which type of headsethas been connected, the handset preferably includes circuitry to makethis determination. In one embodiment, when the headset detects amicrophone bias voltage, a predetermined signal may be transmitted bythe headset to be decoded by the handset. This may be implemented bysimply connecting an output of a controller 66 to the microphone portionof the plug output of the processor. A filter network 71 may also belocated along this connection in order to reduce noise.

The circuitry 62 includes the controller 66, such as a processor,preferably having low power consumption and a battery 68. The battery 68is preferably a rechargeable battery or a super capacitor which may becharged by a microphone bias when the headset is connected to the mobilecommunication device. If a microphone bias is used, a voltage boostcircuit is likely to be required to boost the voltage on the microphonebias to above 1.8 V. Alternatively, the battery may be a one-time usebattery and replaced when the power has been entirely discharged fromthe battery 68.

A series of switches 70, representing each button on the multi-buttoncontrol, is connected to the processor 66. In FIG. 3, the switches 70have been labeled as B1, B2, B3, B4, B5 and B6. For instance, B1 mayrepresent a mute button, B2 may represent a volume up button, B3 mayrepresent a volume down button, B4 may represent a rewind button, B5 mayrepresent a fast forward button and B6 may represent a play/stop button.As will be understood, the number of switches is limitless but isdependent on the physical size of the multi-button control. Each of theswitches is also connected to ground 72. Within the processor is amemory, or database 67, for storing control information and a module 69for determining which switch 70 has been pressed.

In the present embodiment, an output of the processor 66 is connected tothe FET 64. As will be described below with respect to the operation ofthe control 60, this connection provides the necessary signals tocontrol the handset.

FIG. 4 provides examples of various methods of encoding the controlsignals being transmitted from the headset to the handset. Encodingcontrol signal mode A is directed at multiple presses, encoding controlsignal mode B is directed at pulse trains, encoding control signal modeC is directed at unique frequencies, encoding control signal mode D isdirected a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) and encoding controlsignal mode E is directed at pulse width. It will be understood thateach headset preferably operates in only one of the encoding controlsignal modes but in some embodiments, the headset may operate undermultiple control signal modes depending on the required functionality.

In this embodiment, the circuitry is implemented for a multi-buttoncontrol 60 operating under control signal mode A, control signal mode Bor control signal mode E, as shown in FIG. 4. As will be understood,each headset preferably operates in a single control signal mode.However, it will be understood that some embodiments may employ multiplecontrol signal modes. When one of the series of switches 70, or buttons,is pushed, a signal is transmitted to the processor 66 from the switch.The module 69 within the processor 66 receives this signal (step 200 ofFIG. 6) and then determines which of the switches 70 has been pressed(step 202). After determining the switch, the module then accesses thedatabase 67 to determine a control signal corresponding to or associatedwith the pressed switch 70 (step 204).

For instance, if the user wishes to play music, after pressing B6, thesoftware module 69 determines B6 was pressed and accesses thedatabase/memory 67 to determine the signal that needs to be transmittedfrom the multi-button control to play music.

As shown in FIG. 4, the signal corresponding to B6 for mode A, is aseries of 6 pulses. The pulses are then transmitted from the processor66 to the FET 64. The pulses are recognized by the FET 64 which thentranslates this pulse signal to the jack 22 (step 206) by shorting outthe microphone to ground. The jack 22 then transmits this information tothe handset (step 208) which receives the pulse signal. A processorwithin the handset then processes the pulse signal to determine thecommand corresponding to the signal transmitted (step 209). In thisexample, the processor determines that a play music command has beenissued and then executes the command and transmits the response to theheadset (step 211). Therefore, in this example, the mobile communicationdevice plays music which is then transmitted back through the jack 22 tothe headset which then receives the response and transmits the music tothe speakers (step 210).

The user is then able to enjoy listening to music on their headset.Similarly, if music is already playing, the user may choose to stop themusic, turn the volume up or down by pressing the relevant button. Asbefore, the method outlined in FIG. 6 is performed to transmit thenecessary signal to the handset to have the command be performed.

In an alternative embodiment, for instance if the multiple buttoncontrol was operating in encoding control signal mode B, using a pulsetrain, the nature of the signals being transmitted from the processor tothe headset are shown in FIG. 4. A start pulse is typically transmittedto the FET indicating that a button has been pressed. The start pulse isthen followed up with a series of pulses corresponding to the buttonnumber that was pressed. For instance if B1 is pressed, a single pulseis provided after the start pulse, if B2 is pressed, two pulses areprovided. Similar pulse streams are provided for buttons B3, B4, B5 andB6.

In a more specific example, the start pulse may be a 20 ms pulse with a10 ms break before the transmission of the stream of control signalpulses, each pulse lasting for 1 ms.

In another embodiment, when square wave pulses are used, the circuitryfurther includes a set of electronic elements which limit the slew rateof the square wave pulse in order to reduce the potential of the buttonsfrom being heard in the audio transmitted to the speakers. In oneembodiment, this may be implemented by adding a resistor/capacitor (RC)network between the FET and the processor 66. Finer slew rate controlmay be implemented by standard pulse width modulation (PWM) methods.

The pulse train is then transmitted from the FET to the headset 10 viathe jack 22. The processor within the headset 10 recognizes the startpulse and processes the following series of pulses to determine whichbutton is pressed. After determining the command from the control, themobile communication proceeds to execute the demand and the result istransmitted to the user via the speakers.

Turning to FIG. 5, a second embodiment of a multiple button control 14for a mobile communication device 10 is shown. In this embodiment, theoutput of the processor is directed connected directly to the jack 22,however the output is transmitted through a voltage divider 74 which isused to ensure that the signal being transmitted to the jack is at apredetermined level comparable to the microphone output. Operation ofthe embodiment is in an identical manner with respect to the methodoutlined in FIG. 6. However, the nature of the signals being transmittedby the processor differs. In this embodiment, when operating in Mode C,the control signals are transmitted at different frequencies such thatthe jack transmits the signal to the headset which deciphers thefrequency and then performs the requested task. In an alternativeembodiment, the output of the processor may also be connected to the FET64.

In one implementation, if B1 is pressed, the processor 66 transmits asignal at 3400 Hz which is then received by the handset 10 via the jack22. Once the handset receives a signal at 3400 Hz, the processorrecognizes that B1 has been pressed. Similarly, if B2 is pressed, asignal is transmitted at 3600 Hz to the mobile communication device. Inorder to prevent any interference, each of the frequencies which areselected and associated with the buttons are outside of the audiblerange so the user does not experience any interference or distraction.

The battery 68 allows the control to be self-sufficient and does notdrain the battery within the mobile communication device. Therefore byutilizing a low power processor, the life of the battery 68 is prolongedand does not have to be changed on a constant basis. The importance ofthe battery is that no additional connection is required from thehandset to provide power to the processor in the headset.

If the headset is operating under Mode D, the signals are selected anddifferentiated using DTMF.

In an alternative embodiment, the processor 66 may be replaced by anApplication Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) to lower cost, powerconsumption and size of the control 16.

In an alternative embodiment, where multiple encoding control signalmodes are combined, different functionalities may be provided which arecontrolled via separate control signal modes. For instance Mode A may beused to control an MP3 player while Mode B may be used as a joystick toplay a game on the mobile communication device. In this embodiment, themultiple button control includes a switch or control to determine whichmode the headset is operating in order to ensure that the encoding isperformed correctly by the processor 66. Another embodiment may includethe controller 16 being used as a multi-media control in one mode and asa phone dialer in a second mode.

The embodiment having multiple encoding control signal modes may alsoallow the headset to have a more universal use in that differenthandsets may require specific encoding control signal modes.

Alternatively, mobile communication devices may operate currently underone mode but in future implementations, may operate under a second mode.In this manner, the headset may be used for both the currently andfuture versions of a mobile communication device provide moreflexibility to the user.

In the preceding description, for purposes of explanation, numerousdetails are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe embodiments of a novel headset. However, it will be apparent to oneskilled in the art that these specific details are not required in orderto practice the invention. In other instances, well-known electricalstructures and circuits are shown in block diagram form in order not toobscure the invention. For example, specific details are not provided asto whether the embodiments of the invention described herein areimplemented as a software routine, hardware circuit, firmware, or acombination thereof.

The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to beexamples only. Alterations, modifications and variations can be effectedto the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely bythe claims appended hereto.

1. A headset for use with a mobile communication device having a set ofspeakers for transmitting sound to a user, comprising: a standardheadset jack plug configured to be received in a port of the mobilecommunication device; a multi-button control unit configured to activatecommands on the mobile communication device, the multi-button controlunit including: a set of buttons, each representing one of the commands;and a controller in communication with each button of the set ofbuttons; wherein the controller is configured to detect depression ofone of the set of buttons and to transmit an encoded control signal,corresponding to the depressed button, to the standard headset jack plugvia a microphone wire, the encoded control signal comprising a series ofvoltage pulses, each pulse representing a difference in voltage acrossthe microphone wire relative to a ground wire.
 2. The headset of claim1, wherein the controller is one of a processor and an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC).
 3. The headset of claim 1, whereinthe encoded control signal is encoded in an encoding control signalmode.
 4. The headset of claim 3, wherein the encoding control signalmode comprises one of: a pulse train control signal mode, a uniquefrequency control signal mode, a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF)control signal mode or a pulse width control signal mode.
 5. The headsetof claim 4, wherein encoding the control signal mode is one of the pulsetrain control signal mode or the pulse width control signal mode, andthe headset further comprises a filter configured to limit a slew rateof the encoded control signal.
 6. The headset of claim 5, wherein thefilter comprises an RC network.
 7. The headset of claim 1, wherein thecontroller further comprises: a database configured to store controlsignal information associated with each button of the set of buttons;and a module configured to associate the button depression with anencoded control signal.
 8. The headset of claim 1, wherein the controlsignal is transmitted by the controller to a Field Effect Transistor(FET) within the headset for transmission to the standard headset jackplug.
 9. The headset of claim 1, wherein the multi-button control unitfurther comprises a voltage divider.
 10. The headset of claim 1, whereinthe encoded control signal is transmitted to the standard headset jackplug via the voltage divider.
 11. The headset of claim 1, furthercomprising a battery configured to power the controller.
 12. The headsetof claim 11, wherein the battery comprises one of more of: rechargeablebattery, a super capacitor and a one-time use battery.
 13. The headsetof claim 1, wherein the controller is powered by a microphone biasvoltage supplied by the mobile communication device when the standardheadset jack plug is received in the mobile communication device. 14.The headset of claim 1, further comprising an apparatus for indicatingto the mobile communication device a presence of the multi-buttoncontrol unit when the standard headset jack plug is received in themobile communication device.
 15. The headset of claim 1, wherein theheadset is configured to control an audio function of the mobilecommunication device in which the commands include one or more of: mute,volume up, volume down, rewind, fast forward and play/stop.